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2018-05-15 07:14:56

MRUS

Merus

$17.15

0.1 (0.59%)

07:14

05/15/18

05/15

07:14

05/15/18

07:14

Merus announces unique mechanism of action of MCLA-128

Merus announced the unique mechanism of action of MCLA-128, the company's most-advanced Biclonics candidate that binds to HER2 and HER3-expressing solid tumor cells and potently blocks signaling HRG/HER3 tumor-signaling pathway, was published in the May 2018 edition of Cancer Cell titled, "Unbiased Combinatorial Screening Identifies a Bispecific IgG1 that Potently Inhibits HER3 Signaling via HER2-Guided Ligand Blockade." PB4188, the research candidate described in the paper, was identified after screening a large panel of greater than500 bispecific antibodies in relevant functional assays. Using a structure function approach, Merus demonstrated that PB4188 employs a unique mechanism to inhibit the growth of tumors by docking to HER2 and blocking ligand interaction with HER3, thereby preventing stabilization of the HER2:HER3 heterodimer and sustained signaling. The activity of PB4188 was unaffected by increasing concentrations of HRG, the ligand for HER3 which mirrors the autocrine or paracrine signaling environment of the tumor, in contrast to monoclonal antibodies against the same targets, tested as single agents or in combination. These in vitro findings were verified in four independent and pathophysiologically relevant xenograft models, which showed dose dependency and correlation with relevant pharmacodynamic factors. MCLA-128, the development candidate of PB4188, is currently being studied in a Phase 2 clinical trial in combination with current standards of care in two metastatic breast cancer populations, including HER2-positive MBC patients and hormone receptor positive/HER2-low MBC patients. MCLA-128 is also being studied as a single agent in an ongoing Phase 1/2 trial in gastric, ovarian, endometrial and non-small cell lung cancer patients

Merus downgraded to Sector Perform at RBC Capital on fewer drivers in 2018

As reported earlier, RBC Capital analyst Brian Abrahams downgraded Merus to Sector Perform from Outperform and lowered his price target to $20 from $28. Abrahams says that he remains enthusiastic about the long-term potential of the company's bispecific antibody pipeline and platform, but sees fewer potential upside drivers in 2018 for the shares, as "'158 and '145 programs remain promising but still very early stage".

04/30/18

WEDB

04/30/18NO CHANGETarget $26WEDBOutperform

Merus price target lowered to $26 from $32 at Wedbush

Wedbush analyst David Nierengarten lowered his price target for Merus to $26 from $32 as he adjusts his launch estimates for MCLA-128 in mBC and MCLA-117 in AML. The analyst reiterates an Outperform rating on the shares.